Counter-Strike has been kicking around in my head lately thanks to various discussions with friends reminiscing, the itch for some quality FPS-action and the talk of a hopeful sequel. The latest news on the sequel front is pretty much non-existent. We can’t even get a peep out of Valve in regards to Half-Life 2: Episode 3 so Counter-Strike 2 news is probably just a twinkle in their eye.

That hasn’t stopped people from complaining however. Internet complaints go hand-in-hand with petitions and groups which is a reality when it comes to Counter-Strike 2 as well. The group is led by UK-resident Sam England. The group’s desires are pretty straightforward though a bit too simplistic in my view:

“….we want to bolster interest in CS so more people play it, and if we want to regain mainstream attention in the game it needs to be re released as Counterstrike 2. Even if it was just re released with some fixes/patches, additional official maps, a graphical upgrade and a new shiny box… Counterstrike would then survive as a franchise and become popular once again..”

Basically it sounds like these guys would be happy with Counter-Strike 1.6 or Source turning in to CS 2.0. They don’t seem to want much other than the game maintaining its legacy and improving. Why fix what isn’t broke seems to be the concept.

I say toss it out and start fresh. I realize this may border on sacrilege but hear me out. If I had to guess there are few people on this website that played more Counter-Strike than I did. I jumped on Beta 1 while still playing Team Fortress Classic and was instantly hooked even though you could gun-run, ghost open doors and all that other nonsense. I played in CAL, CEVO, TGL, OGL, OBGYN, you name it, I even pubbed my rear off. The game became my outlet after a particularly harsh break up and I made some fantastic friends that I still talk to thanks to the game (<3 Trinh, Whomer and Proto). I played a ton of Source as well towards the end of my CS days.

It has been a while since I have played CS mainly because of Team Fortress 2. TF2 is also the reason I think Valve needs to start fresh for Counter-Strike 2. Having played a ton of TFC (I was hooked on the Hunted, take the hint Valve) as well I was hesitant to jump on the new Team Fortress bandwagon. However the game has been fantastic and proof that Valve can take an old concept, apply a fresh coat of paint and new mechanics and still appeal to a vast audience.

That kind of overhaul is exactly what Counter-Strike needs. I realize the game is still widely popular. The two games combined still have more regular players than even Modern Warfare 2, last year’s top selling game. The game is stagnating however and that is something the petition group dances around.

There haven’t been significant changes since the game’s move to the Source engine and the reality is it still didn’t change much. The game was never a big fan of balance. When only four primary weapons are used regularly a game isn’t really striving for diversity. We don’t need a Modern Warfare-like roster of weapons to choose from but making all the guns have distinct characteristics and reasons for use would be nice.

The graphics could use an overhaul as well. The Source engine is officially dated even it doesn’t look “1.6 terrible” quite yet. No I am not asking for Crysis 2 eye candy but is it so wrong to have a fantastic game that also has great graphics? Gameplay is always the most important but I am tired of having to settle for one or the other.

I’d also like to see more than defusal maps become the norm. Am I the only one that absolutely loved as_oilrig? It is an amazing level that I consistently top-fragged on. Bring Hostage maps and Assassination maps back to the forefront and balance them out. They can update some of the old classics like Italy and Office and make them less one-sided.

I may be a mere “pubber” these days but it wouldn’t hurt for Valve to address the competitive community that has helped drive Counter-Strike’s longevity. Promod never really took off, mainly because it sucked at first (haven’t tried it in ages however) so Valve supporting this niche is important. Make a game mode that offers much of what the competitive community wants from walling, to 1.6 grenades, less map clutter and all that jazz.

Speaking of Promod I know there is a update on the way, 1.04, which Gotfrag just reviewed. It sounds like they have made vast improvements since launch and the new version drops later on this week. Those of you looking for that “1.6 feel” with “Source looks” may want to check it out. I still want more from my CS successor however.

I would really like them to follow the Team Fortress 2 concept. Bring back many of the old maps they have the rights to, updated and tweaked. Bring back most of the weapons but give us reasons to actually use them. Offer up some new weapons, models and maps and down the road they can do rolling updates as they increase the depth of customization and choice. New game concepts like TF2′s Payload should also be something Valve aspires to create for CS2. Other options to consider are weapon customization both cosmetic and functional. This later is a bit touchy as you don’t want to move away from the original too much.

The last time I remember Valve giving any vague answers about the game was back in March of ’08 when Robin implied on Gametrailers TV that they were leaning towards fresh start on the game. Gabe wouldn’t give any information regarding potential work on the game but he did continue to harp on its significance and how important the franchise was to them.

The reality is that Valve has five key franchises at this point. Left 4 Dead and Team Fortress are seeing new updates pretty regularly. That leaves Portal, Half-Life and Counter-Strike. Episode 3 should have been out already so I assume they are working on it, I hope, but that is a whole another blog. In the nearly two years since the GTV interview it isn’t unreasonable to think Valve has made some progress on a sequel.

Counter-Strike is one of the best multiplayer games in history. It didn’t hurt that it was highly successful as an E-sport and still has a massive fan base. I think a sequel will come down to a “when” and not an “if”.

However Valve time is a ***** and patience isn’t for sale on the Steam Store much to my chagrin. It may be a long wait but at some point or another Valve will return for another shot at the FPS-crown.